Author's POV

Aman and Isha stepped through the gate, the afternoon sun casting a warm glow on the courtyard. Before they could even knock, the front door burst open.

"There they are!" shouted Niya, the youngest, practically launching herself at Isha. "Bhaabhi, did you miss us? Be honest-we know you did!"

Behind her, Sarthak poured out with excitement, mock complaints, and eager questions.

"Did Aman behave, or do we need to retrain him?"

"Bhaabhi, don't listen to anything he says about us-we're angels, promise."

"We've already made a list of rules for you. Rule one: No siding with Aman during game nights."

Isha blinked, laughing as she tried to keep up with the flurry of teasing and affection. "Wait, I just got here! Is this how you greet all guests, or am I getting special treatment?"

"You're family now," said Sarthak, the oldest sibling after Aman, slinging an arm around her shoulders like they'd known each other for years. "Which means no peace, no quiet, and absolutely no warning before chaos."

Aman stood to the side, arms crossed, watching the whole scene unfold with an amused shake of his head. "Isha, this is what I meant when I said my family is 'a bit much.'"

"And this," Isha shot back, raising an eyebrow at him while dodging a flying pillow from the living room, "is exactly what I was hoping for."

The house buzzed with laughter as someone put on music, someone else ran to the kitchen shouting about forgotten snacks, and Isha was tugged from one corner to the next-shown old photo albums, challenged to board games, handed homemade sweets, and, of course, interrogated about Aman's childhood secrets.

By evening, the living room was a happy mess of cushions, half-eaten laddoos, and sprawled-out siblings. Isha, nestled between Niya and Sarthak, grinned as she caught Aman watching her from across the room.

She mouthed, "I love them."

He smiled back. "Told you."

"Okay now you both shut otherwise I'm not making dinner today" said Amaan.

Both Sarthak and Niya looked at him as he is taking away their favorite candy and pouted,"please Bhai, you know we love it when you cook so please... Don't"

Amaan shook his head at their tactics. "Okay then don't kill each other" said as he fack glared at them.

Later after the dinner, the plates were cleared, the last of the dessert spooned into silence. Outside, the city murmured through closed windows. Inside, a soft light wrapped around them like a shared secret.

Isha leaned back slightly, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass. "You didn't tell me you could cook like that."

Amaan chuckled, elbows on the table, hands loosely clasped. "I didn't know either. You make things taste better."

She raised an eyebrow. "Flirting or deflecting?"

"Both." He didn't look away.

A pause stretched, warm and unspoken. Then she stood, slowly, deliberate, and walked to the window. He followed, not close enough to touch, but close enough to feel the shift in the air.

The streetlight outside caught her profile still, thoughtful. "I used to think comfort felt like silence. But tonight..." She turned her head slightly, not facing him fully. "Tonight it feels like you."

Amaan didn't say anything right away. Just reached out, careful, brushing her hand with his. She didn't pull away.

When she looked up at him, the question was already in her eyes.

He answered without words just leaned in, slow and certain. His lips met hers in a kiss that was less about fire, more about recognition. Not rushed. Not uncertain. Just right.

When they parted, she smiled, a little crooked, a little dazed. "Well," she said softly, "now you really can't say you didn't know."

He smiled, nodded his head and returned to their room as they need to end the day.

Thank you for reading 😊

See you in the next chapter